Safety ignition and control device for burners



G. HERBSTER July 23, 1940.

SAFETY IGNITION AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR BURNERS Filed April 2, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet 1 iflgfi INVENTOR. GEORGE HERBSTER Fig.1

Fig.2

ATTORNEY.

G. HERBSTER July 23, 1940.

SAFETY IGNITION AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR BURNERS Filed April 2, 1938ZSheets-Sheet 2 warn INVENTOR.

GEORGE HERBSTER ATTORNEY.

Patented July 23, 1940 PATENT OFFICE SAFETY IGNITION AND CONTROL DEVICEFOR BURNER/S George Herbster, Cleveland, Ohio, assignmto John H.Leonard, trustee, Cleveland, Ohio Application April 2, 1938, Serial No.199,661

6' Claims.

This invention is an improvement in an ignition and fuel control devicefor use in connection with a service burner and a pilot burnercombination, and is a. continuation in part of my copending application,Serial No. 188,330, filed February 2, 1938.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide anignition and fluid fuel control device for a pilot burner and serviceburner combination, whereby (a) fuel must he admitted to the pilotburner before the ignition mechanism becomes operetive for igniting thepilot; (h) ignition of the pilot burner is s. condition precedent to theadmission of fuel to the service burner; (c) admission of iuel to theserv ice burner renders the pilot burner ignition mechanism inoperative;and (d) extlnguishment oi the pilot burner stops the admission oi fuelto the service burner and automatically initiates c repetition of thiscycle or" operation.

Another object is to provide e stop valve hoving s, thermostaticallyoperated closure plug and a, movable seat and in which, after the valveplug is moved apredeterrcined amount by the thermoststic elements to anopen position with re spect to the sect, it remains in the some relsties to the sect, even though the valve plug is moved on additionaldistance in the opening direction by the thermostatic elements, so that,regardless of the amount of operation oi the thermostatic elements inthe direction for opening the valve, the relation of the plug and seatdoes not exceed a. predetermined maximum separated position, and theamount of movement, and consequently the time for closing the valve,remains constant regardless of the position from which the plug startstoward closing position.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingspecification, wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the principles of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on a plane indicated bythe line 22 of Flg-' ure 1;

Figure 3 is 'a. fragmentary, sectional view, similar to Figure 2,showing the parts in different operating relation with respect to eachother; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the device showing the broadcooperative relation of the parts thereof.

For purposes of illustration, the present invention is described hereinin connection with a gas service burner and gas pilot burner for use inovens of domestic gas cooking ranges, its use in connection with otherfluid fuels and apparatus being readily apparent from the exemplarydisclosure. M" In the form illustrated, the device is shown inconnection with e pilot burner l which is in firing relation to gasservice oven burner 2, fuel being admitted to the pilot burner througha. suitable conduit 5 and to the service burner through a suitableconduit A needle valve 5, Fig. 3, is provided for regulating the amountof gas admitted to the pilot burner and the temperature regulator 6 isconnected in the gas supply line =3 of the service burner so as regulatethe admission of fuel to the service bur er.

The device of the present invention may corca, main outlet passage towhich admits gas tothe service burner 22 through the pipe line theretoiore described. Within the body it is a valve plug [16, the plugbeing mounted on a stem ll which is movable axially of the bore M. Theplug is connected to the inner end of the stem ll by a pivot 98 which isdisposed vertically for purposes later to he described.

Mounted within the bore M is a sleeve which is coaxial with the stem lland is of greater internsl diameter than the external diameter of thestem. The outer circumferential well of the sleeve i9 is in sealedrelation with the wall of the bore H but the sleeve is so mounted thatit may be moved axially of the bore. The sleeve IQ is open at the endadjacent the plug l6 so as to afford a passage for gas from the inletpassage l2 into the sleeve. The sleeve has openings Isa for permittinggas to flow from the sleeve into the outlet passage IS. The inner end ofthe sleeve i9 is in the form of a seat 26 on which the valve plug I6 mayseat for blocking the passage of gas through the sleeve from the inletpassage E2 to outlet passage IS.

The opposite end of the sleeve I9 is closed by an end wall, as shown,and the bore H is slightly longer than the sleeve IS. The bore II isdeadended so that gas entrapped between the closed end of the sleeve 19and the dead end of the bore H assists in yieldably resisting movementof the sleeve I9 toward the dead end of the bore, thus assisting ineffecting proper seating of the plug l6 against the open end of thesleeve IS.

A follow-up or lost motion connection between the sleeve and valve plugis provided. This connection may comprise a -pin'22 which is connectedto the stem I1 and is spaced from the l6 and maintains a constantopening between the plug-l6 and seat 20 of the sleeve regardless of themovement of the stem I! in the opening direction. Upon movement of thestem in the opposite direction, the plug needs to move only I a distanceequal to the distance between the pin '22 and the adjacent end of thesleeve l9 to close the valve. Consequently if the stem is operated by athermostatic lever, regardless of the amount of movement of the stem bythe lever in the opening direction beyond a predetermined amount, thetime required to close the valve remains constant, thus afiording a muchmore rapid shut-off. The valve, therefore, is .pro-

vided with a follow-up seat and a lost motion operative connectionbetween the plug and the V follow-up seat. I I

As heretofore described, the valve plug it is connected to the stem H byan upright pivot I8.

Because of the pivotal connection between the plug l6 and the stem ii,the plug can adjust itself on the seat 20 and afford a better seatingrelation, and the sleeve is not subjected to any overbalanced weight ofthe plug it. If the pivot l8 were arranged horizontally, it is apparentthat the plug it would hang downwardly at an angle to the stem and causeits lower portion to be nearer to the seat 20 of the sleeve than itsupper portion. If, in this condition, the stem H were then moved to drawthe plug it toward seating position, first the lower edge-of the plug itwould engage the seat 20 and move the sleeve, without overcoming theoverbalanced weight of the plug sufiiclently to cause it to seat aboutits entire periphery.

The body is provided also with a tubular portion 25 through which thestem I! extends to the outside of the body, suitable oil sealing grooves26 being provided on the stem so, as to afiord an efiective" sealbetween the stem" I1 and the tubumaterial, is mounted on the yoke 3i.

lar portion 25 of the body.

Carried on the body in is a rigid tubular extension 21 and at the outerend of the extension 21 is a yoke having arms 29 to which are connectedthe ends of bi-metal thermostatic elements or levers 30, respectively.The opposite ends of the elements 30 are connected to the arms of a yoke3|. A plug 32, of electrically insulating Mounted in the plug 32 is. a,metallic rod 33, one end of which, as indicated at 34, extends beyondthe plug 32 and into closely spaced relation to the pilot burner I, theportion 34 providing a spark terminal for a high frequency sparkmechanism, later to be described.

The rod 33 is connected to the stem i1, suitable electrical insulation36 being interposed between the stem and rodso as to insulate the valveproper from the rod 33. The thermostatic levers 30 are arranged so that,upon heating, they move the valve plug it in the opening direction andupon cooling they return the valve plug to the closing position. Ifdesired, a suitable springmay be utilized for the plug I6. I

In order to supply the high frequency spark. the rod 33 is connected bya suitable wire 31 to the high frequency terminal of a high frequencyspark mechanism 28. 'I'hehigh frequency spark mechanism 38 is connectedto a 110 volt alternating current circuit by the wire 39 and the wires40 and 4|, a suitable switch being provided between the wires 40 and45,, as better illustrated in Figure 3. 'As therein illustrated, thevalve body is provided with a terminal plug 42 of electrical insulatingmaterial, the plug 42 being in sealed relation in a suitable uprightbore63 in the valve body. The wires 40 and M extend through the'plug 82 andare provided with terminal contacts 44 and 65 which are exposed withinthebore 43. Mounted within the bore 43 is a vertically reciprocable'plunger 46 which may be metal. At its upper' end, the plunger 46 carriesa contactor 47 which is insulated from the plunger and is arranged tobridge between the contacts or terminals M and 45 and establish acircuit between the wires 40 and 4! when the plunger 46 is in a fullyraised position in the bore 43.

The bore 83 is connected bya primary inlet duct 48 to the interior ofthe main valve body on the inlet side of the plug it so thatwhen the gascock M is operated toadmit gas to the main valve through the passage i2,gas also passes through the primary inlet duct $8 to the under side ofthe plunger. The plungeris of such size that the pressure of the gasadmitted to the in let side of the valve plug it is sumcient to lift theplunger to the ,top of the bore Q3 and thereby establish the circuitbetweeutbe wires 4i! and 6!. The completion of this volt circuit in thismanner renders the high frequency spark able duct 56, admits gas to thepilot burner l.

where it is ignited by the sparks.

In addition to the ducts as to st, inclusive,

a secondary inlet duct 5! is provided and connects the bore 63 with themain valve at the outlet side of the plug 56. For example, this con-'nection may be directly between the bore 53 and the outlet passage it ofthe main valve.

The secondary inlet duct 5! opens into the bore.

3 at a position above the uppermost position of the plunger '66. Asecondary outlet duct 52 is connected with the bore 53 at a positionsuch that it is blocked by the plunger 36 when the asareturnmeans- 7plunger is in raised position, but is unblocked by the plunger when theplunger is in a lowered position wherein it blocks the duct 69. Thesecondary outlet duct 52 is connected with the duct '50 or is otherwiseconnected with the pilot.

As a result of this arrangement, when gas is admitted through the inletpassage 52 to the main valve while the main valve is closed, the plunger46 is raised from the position illustrated in Figure-3 to the fullyraised position illustrated in Figure 2. In this latter position,contact is made between the contact 61 and the terminal contacts 44 andt5, thus establishing a high frequency spark at the pilot burner.Concurrently with the establishment of this spark, gas is admitted tothe pilot burner through the primary inlet duct 48, bore '33, primaryoutlet duct 69, and the duct 50. Thereupon the pilot burner is ignitedand heats the thermostatic elements or aaoassc levers 30. Theseelements, when heated, move the main valve plug I! to open position,thus permitting gas to flow around the valve plug through the sleeve I!to the outlet passage II, and then to the service burner. However, whengas is admitted to the outlet passage ii in this manner, it also flowsthrough the secondary inlet duct 5| into the bore 43 at a position abovethe plunger. Up to this time, the plunger N has been held in raisedposition, as illustrated in Figure 2, by the differential in fluid fuelpressure at opposite ends of the plunger 46. However, as a result of theadmission of gas through the secondary inlet duct H, the gas pressure atopposite ends of the plunger 48 is substantially equalized, or thedifferential is so reduced that the plunger drops by its own weight tothe position illustrated in Figure 3. When the plunger drops to thislatter position, the primary outlet duct 49 is blocked but gas continuesto flow to the pilot through the secondary inlet duct iii, the upperportion of the bores 83, the sec- Qndary outlet duct 52 and the duct 50.

In case the pilot is accidentally extinguished, the thermostaticelements to become unheated and the cycle above described is repeated immediately upon seating of the plug it on the seat 20. Again, when thethermostats are heated for moving the main valve plug it to the openposition, the plug opens a predetermined amount with respect to its seat20, and thereafter the seat follows along with the plug and maintains afixed distance therefrom as the plug continues to move in the openingdirection. Consequently, if the pilot is extinguished for any reason,the valve plug 56 seats very promptly on the seat 2d and thethermostatic elements do not have to be permitted to cool completely tocause seating. As a result the valve cuts 0d the supply of gas to themain burner within two to four seconds after the pilot becomesextinguished and does not admit gas to the main burner again until thepilot has been relighted by the high frequency spark.

The above invention has been described herein in connection with gaseousfuel and in connection with a main valve body in which the various ductsand connections are provided directly in the valve body. It is apparent,however, that the various elements may be separately disposed andconnected by suitable conduits, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. The combination with a service burner, a pilot humor in ignitingrelation thereto, a main control valve for admitting fluid fuel to theservice burner when the valve is open and for stopping the flow of fuelthereto when the valve is closed, thermally responsive means in heatingrelation to the pilot burner and operative when heated to open the mainvalve, said main valve tending to close when the thermally responsivemeans are unheated, of differential pressure operated ignition meansrendered operative to ignite the pilot in response to a differential inpressure of fluid fuel at opposite sides of the main valve when the mainvalve is closed and rendered inoperative in response to substantialequalization of the pressure of fluid fuel at opposite sides of the mainvalve when the main valve is open.

2. The combination with a service burner, a pilot burner in firingrelation thereto, a main control valve for admitting fluid fuel to theservice burner when the valve is open and for stop ping the flow of fuelthereto when the valve is closed, mechanism including thermallyresponfuel admitted to the main valve, to render the second mechanismoperative to ignite said pilot burner, and said last mentioned meansbeing operative to render the second mechanism inoperative when themainvalve is open.

3. A control and ignition device for a pilot burner and service burnercombination compris ing a pilot burner, a main fluid fuel control valvehaving an inlet passage arranged for connection to a source of fluidfuel and anoulet pmage arranged for connection with a service burner,closure means in the valve body and operatively disposed between thepassages, an auxiliary valve having a body with an upright bore therein,a plunger reciprocable in said bore, said auxiliary valve body having aprimary inlet duct connecting with-said bore below the plunger andcornnected with the inlet side of the main valve whereby the plunger israised by the pressure of the fuel admitted from the inlet side of themain valve through the primary inlet duct, said auxiliary valve bodyhaving a secondary inlet duct connecting with the bore above theuppermost limit or the plunger and connected with the outlet side of themain valve, said aurdliary valve body having a primary outlet ductpositioned to be blocked by the plunger when the plunger is in a loweredposition, said primary outlet duct being connected to the pilot burner,a secondary outlet duct connected with the pilot burner and connectedwith said bore above the plunger at a position to be blocked by theplunger when the plunger is raised to a predetermined position by theadmission of fluid fuel through the primary inlet duct, thermallyresponsive means in heating relation to the pilot and operative to openthe main valve when heated, said main valve tending to close when thethermally responsive means is unheated, means operable to ignite thepilot burner, means operated by the plunger when the plunger is in fullyraised position to render the last named means operative.

4. In a pilot burner and service burner combination, a main fluid fuelcontrol valve having an inlet passage for connection to a source offluid fuel and an outlet passage for connection with a service burner,closure means operatively disposed between the passages, an auxiliaryvalve to the outlet passage, a primary outlet duct con- 'necting thecavity to the pilot burner, and a secondary outlet duct connecting thecavity and the pilot burner, auxiliary movable valve means in the cavityand normally blocking the passage of fluid fuel from the primary inletduct to the outlet duct and operative, when the main. valve is closed,by fluid pressure admitted to the cavity through the primary, inlet-ductto move and admit gas to the primary outlet duct and to close thesecondary outlet duct, and rendered operative when the main valve isopened and fluid is admitted through the secondary inlet duct to moveand close the primary inlet duct and primary outlet duct and to connectthe secondary outlet duct and the secondary inlet duct, ignitionmechanism rendered operative for igniting the pilot burner whentheauxiliary valve mcans is moved to posimain valve tending to closewhen the thermally responsive means are unheated.

5. A safety ignition system for a gas service burner of the type havinga gas pilot in igniting relation to the service burner and wherein boththe pilot and service burner are supplied with gas from a conduit havinga manually controllable service valve; a normally closed stop valve inthe conduit between the service valve and the service burner, athermostat associated with the pilot and operatively connected to thestop valve in a manner to cause the stop valve to be opened consequentupon heating of the thermostat by the pilot flame, electrical ignitionmeans in igniting relation to the pilot and including an electricalcircuit and a switch for controlling the circuit to render the ignitionmeans operative, and a pressure operable device normally tending toremain in an idle position and being movable into an active position tooperate the switch, said device being subjected to gas pressure betweenthe service valve and stop valve in a manner to move the device toactive position when the service valve apes is opened and before thestop valve is opened,

and being subjected to counteracting pressure soas to actuate the switchin a manner to render the ignition means inoperative consequent uponopening of the stop valve;

6. A safety ignition system for a gas service burner of the type havinga-gas pilot in igniting relation to the service burner and wherein boththe pilot and service burner are supplied with gas from a conduit,having a manually controllable service valve; a normally closed stopvalve in the conduit between the service valve and the service burner, athermostat thermally associated with the pilot and connectedmechanically to the stop' valve in a manner to open the stop valveconsequent upon heating of the thermostat by the pilot flame, electricalignition means arranged to establish a spark in igniting relation to thepilot and including a normally open electrical circuit and a switchadapted and arranged to close the circuit and a pressure operable devicenormally tending to remain in an idle position and being movable into anactive position to close the switch, said device being subjected to gaspressure between the service valve and stopv'valve in a manner to movethe device to active position when the service valve is opened andbefore the stop valve is opened, and being subjected to counteractingpressure so as to open the switch consequent upon opening of the stopvalve.

GEORGE BS.

